Fellowships Programme for Tech. Cooperation Capacity Building and Human Resources Development at UN/DESA

The Fellowships Programme for Technical Cooperation Capacity Building and Human Resources Development is an initiative funded by the Directorate General for Development Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy. It is implemented by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN/DESA) and targets post-graduate Italian nationals. These fellowships enable qualified young professionals seeking an international career in development cooperation to gain relevant hands-on experience while assisting United Nations system organizations in their activities.

Eligibility requirements for applicants

• born on or after 1 January 1997
• Italian nationality
• fluency in English and Italian
• advanced university degree, awarded before the application deadline, such as:
  • Laurea Magistrale/Specialistica
  • Laurea Magistrale a ciclo unico
  • University Master’s degree awarded after a Laurea/Laurea Triennale
  • University Master’s degree awarded after a Bachelor’s degree

Additional skills and qualifications 

Given the highly competitive nature of the Italian Fellowships Programme the following are frequently considered important assets:

• previous work experience (including internships and voluntary work)
• knowledge of other UN official languages / languages spoken in developing countries
• additional academic qualifications and/or training courses
• key competencies such as client orientation, teamwork, communication, accountability, planning and organization. 

Candidates are expected to be motivated, flexible and willing to adapt to different environments. Furthermore, they must at all times demonstrate commitment to the core values of the United Nations, i.e. integrity, professionalism and respect for diversity.

Fields of Expertise

The professional competencies expected of Fellows may vary from year to year according to the specific requests from the recipient organizations. Fields of expertise include – but are not limited to – the following areas: governance and local development, rule of law, food security, agricultural development, water and sanitation, urban development, migration, humanitarian affairs, culture, education, social protection including disabilities and gender issues, child protection, information and communication technology, statistics and data management, private sector development, microcredit, economic development, communication for development.

Conditions of Service

Fellows are not UN staff members. As such, they do not enjoy the benefits and entitlements stipulated in the UN Staff Rules and Regulations. Fellows are governed by the UN/DESA Policies and Procedures on Fellowships, Study Tours and Group Training which can be found at: https://www.un.org/development/desa/fellowship/policies-and-procedures

Letter of Award

Fellows receive a Letter of Award indicating the host country in which their assignment is to be carried out, the name of the recipient organization, the field of training and the duration of the award.

When accepting the fellowship, fellows sign a Letter of Acceptance through which they confirm they will adhere to the obligations and conditions outlined in the Letter of Award.

Supervision

Throughout their assignment, fellows will be under the general supervision of UN/DESA, which manages the Programme. UN/DESA, through its Capacity Development Programme Management Office in New York and the Office in Rome, will be responsible for all administrative issues pertaining to the fellowships.

However, the recipient organization in each host country will be responsible for direct supervision during the fellowship period.

Travel

UN/DESA provides each fellow with a round-trip ticket for international travel. Fellows travel in economy class at all times irrespective of the flight duration.

Compensation

Fellows receive a monthly stipend. The stipend is not considered a salary or honorarium, but rather an allowance (fellowship) to reimburse living expenses. This payment is intended to cover the cost of accommodation, board and other essentials, including local transportation. It is normally paid monthly in the currency of the host country.

The first month of stipend is paid at the travel rate (TRV rate) and all subsequent months at the residential rate (RES rate).

Accommodation

Fellows are responsible for finding their own accommodation in the country of assignment. Accommodation costs will be covered by fellows through their stipend.

Leave days

Fellows shall accrue annual leave (Personal Leave days) at the rate of one and a half days (1.5) per month provided the duration of their fellowship award is six months and above.

Security

The United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) offices in the respective countries are responsible for the security of all fellows during their assignment. Upon arrival, fellows must report to the UNDSS Security Coordinator and are provided with a security orientation training. UNDSS will enroll fellows in the United Nations Security Management System and assign them to the warden plan of the UN agencies in that country.

Fellows cannot be placed in countries/areas where the security level is higher than 3 (moderate) or in non-family duty stations.

Medical Insurance

The United Nations will provide each fellow with CIGNA Health Insurance for the entire duration of the fellowship award. This medical insurance also provides coverage for disability and death.